1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a patch which is especially useful for patching punctures in tube-tires and to a method of patching punctures in tube-tires utilizing said patch. A tube-tire is a tire in the form of a complete hollow torus and generally includes a removable tread belt about the outer circumference thereof. Such tires are described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,606,921.
2. Prior Art
The prior art teaches any number of patches of any number of shapes for repairing punctures in normal rim (or beaded) type tires wherein both the interior of the tire and the exterior of the tire are accessible. Typical mushroom shaped prior art patches are described, for example, in German Auslegeschrift No. 1,505,121 and in U.S. Pat. No. 2,668,570. With rim type tires, it is possible to apply a flat patch, for example, on the interior of the tire, by simply properly preparing the interior surface of the tire by buffing it, cleaning it and coating it with uncured rubber and then clamping the patch as with a C-clamp or the like from the interior of the tire up against the puncture which is being repaired and directly heating the patch as with a heated electric pad or the like until the uncured rubber is cured. With tube-tires a special problem arises, namely that the interior of the tire is not available for easy access to place a patch against and through the puncture. Also it is not possible without breaking open the tire to place, for example, a heated pad, or the like, inside the tire and up against a patch to hasten and complete curing or sealing of the patch against the interior tire wall.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved tube-tire patch which is insertable through a puncture in a tube-tire from the exterior of the tube-tire and upon which pressure can be exerted from exteriorly of the tube-tire.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a method of patching a punctured tube-tire by pressurizing the air chamber of the tube-tire with fluid after a patch has been inserted through a puncture therein and has been pulled upon from exteriorly of the tire to evenly exert sealing pressure on the patch during a cure period of sufficient duration to establish a tight, permanent bond between the patch and the interior of the tire.
These and other objects of the invention are achieved as described in the following: